Supernatural – other

The kindness/charity component is hugely important to me, but more than that, I want GISHWHES participants to take a week-long vacation from normalcy and see that life doesn’t have to be a certain way. – Misha Collins

Misha Collins is the evil genius behind GISHWHES; an annual week-long international scavenger hunt. Misha was kind enough to answer my questions about this event.

What is GISHWHES?

Misha: It’s a very large (maybe the largest), unwieldy scavenger hunt that I cooked up a few years ago. We had a similar scavenger hunt when I was at the University of Chicago, and I guess I thought it would be a good idea to take the concept international. There’s a giant list of tasks, ranging from “cheese dress” to “voice activated toilet flusher.” You participate as part of a team of 15 people from all over the world (either your friends or people we put you with), and together, you photograph or film yourselves completing the tasks. You can play to win or play to have fun, but what’s important is that you play. The winners go on a trip with me to a destination of my choosing – this year it’s Iceland.

Supernatural has been cancelled by the only channel showing it in the UK and the UK fans are waiting for information on when/if it will get a new home for Season 9 & 10.

There have been various projects by the UK fans to try and get SPN back in the UK!

Supernatural Wayward Son was a campaign to try and get Carry On Wayward Son by Kansas to No1 in the UK. It didn’t quite make it to No.1 in the music charts, but did make it into the download charts and No.1 in the Amazon rock download charts, plus the campaign received attention fro many important people including Warner Brothers.

@SaveSPNintheUK Selfies Video Campaign – Fans from across the UK showed their need for Supernatural to be aired in the UK, by submitting a ‘selfie’ holding up a sign with the hastag #UKNeedsSPN or #UKNeedsSupernatural

@SaveSPNintheUK flyers have been handed out at UK conventions and posted everywhere online.

Letter writing campaigns, to contact the people that may be able to get the show back onto UK TV

Petitions to get SPN back to the UK

Groups, sites, social media accounts set up for the sole purpose of getting Supernatural back in the UK.

What next?

There are rumors that NetflixUK will be showing Supernatural S9, but no word on when and if they will be showing S10.

The S9 DVD is supposedly going to be released in the UK on October 20th, but as yet top sites like Amazon UK do not have a release date listed.

How do UK fans watch?

The UK fans have had to resort to downloading the show. This is not something that they want to do, but to be able to be part of the fandom they need to keep up to date with the show. By not showing Supernatural S9 or S10 in line with the US air date the UK fans are being forced to do something illegal or risk being excluded from the fandom! The fandom which many say has not only enhanced but also saved their lives.

Not Important?

There are many UK fans and they are just as dedicated as the US fans; look at how fast the Supernatural Conventions sell out in the UK. Asylum14, to be held next May, sold out within months with just one guest announced!

But because they are not US fans they are forgotten, not important.

What more can we do?

The only thing the UK fans can do is to keep trying, make your voices heard.

Tell me your story

If you are a UK Supernatural fan please explain why the show is important to you and why you want it back on UK TV, plus how difficult it has been for you not being able to watch it in line with US air dates. If you are a non UK fan please let me know what the show means to you and how you would feel if you were unable to watch it like the UK fans.

I was lucky enough to be in a position where I could treat myself to a ticket to the Salute to Supernatural Convention in Vancouver – VanCon2013. I didn’t even look at any of the other conventions run by Creation as Vancouver is where Supernatural is filmed, so you get added bonuses like the crew attending the con and the chance to go on a locations tour with the actual Supernatural location manager. Plus when you are not at the con you can search out your own previous film locations or even find a current shoot if you’e really lucky!

My favorite entry into GISHWHES 2012 – When I entered GISHWHES I had no idea what to expect, I certainly didn’t think I’d end up with a 3’x3′ skittle art portrait of Jensen Ackles proudly displayed on the wall of my home. But more than that, GISHWHES was my first true interaction with this amazing fandom, with the SPNFamily. For that I will be eternally grateful as through Supernatural and the fandom I have been lucky enough to form some truly wonderful friendships.

Please feel free to share your favorite GISHWHES entries with me or let me know what GISHWHES did for you.